Every year, there seems to be dozens of new holiday decorating trends (most of which call for purchasing more and more decor), and it feels almost impossible to decipher which are truly worth the time, money and effort.
Luckily, we called in the real experts, Drew and Jonathan Scott, because who better to share some wisdom on the subject than the two brothers bringing us stunning home products and new hit television shows like Don’t Hate Your House With the Property Brothers? Not to mention, the duo loves the holidays.
“This is absolutely our favorite time of the year because who do you think taught the elves to build stuff? The Property Brothers,” says Jonathan.
The pair stopped by Good Housekeeping‘s New York office to share their best decorating advice for the holiday season. So whether you’ve been attempting to decode the latest decor trends on your own or simply can’t decide between a real or artificial tree this year, read on for Drew and Jonathan’s best advice.
Be careful when decorating with glass ornaments.
Although Jonathan admits that he decorates his tree entirely with glass ornaments, Drew recommends being extra careful, especially if you have kids or pets. “Just move the glass ornaments up away from where the kids can get to them,” he says.
If you’re really into glass ornaments but have small children, Jonathan has a more creative solution: “We boxed out the tree at the bottom with little artificial gifts and that kind of keeps them back.”
Don’t feel obligated to decorate with strictly red and green.
While red and green are, of course, the most classic Christmas colors, that doesn’t mean you need to decorate with them all the time. “Whatever your personality is, bring it out in your holiday decor,” says Drew.
Stay away from excessive signage.
Whether it’s “Ho Ho Ho” or “Let It Snow,” it’s not necessary to spell out all of your favorite holiday messages in your home. Instead, try designing a space that evokes the magic of the holidays naturally.
“You have to make sure it’s classy. You don’t want something tacky. It can get real cheesy, real fast,” says Jonathan.
Go with flameless candles.
Although candles can be great for setting the mood and creating a cozy atmosphere, the Scott brothers agree that there’s too much at stake when it comes to using real candles for holiday decorating. “Flameless candles are the way to go,” says Drew.
Say goodbye to all-things-glitter.
While Jonathan doesn’t have much of an issue with glitter, Drew says it’s a hard no: “Do what you want in your own house, but don’t send someone else a decor item that has glitter because you can never get it out of your home.”
Artificial trees all the way.
If Drew and Jonathan agree on anything, it’s the fact that artificial trees are far superior to real trees. Messy pine needles, dying branches and manual light stringing are not worth the hassle, according to the experts.
“Artificial trees are the way to go because one, you don’t have to cut down a tree. Two, they last as long as you want to keep them,” says Jonathan. “And the greatest part: trees that come with the lights already strung. And the ones we design, when the pole attaches to the different sections, it auto illuminates. You don’t have to do anything.”
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Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC’s TODAY.com where she covered everything from entertainment news to product reviews to pop culture updates.
